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Ryan Whitehead
Mr. Douville
Period 3 English
11/20/14
Hungarian Revolution
As the Soviet armies poured into Hungary to put down the revolution for freedom
and democracy in Hungary, Imre Nagy was addressing the people before his inevitable
death at the hands of communism. Imre had fought and put his soul into creating a free
Hungary. Imre Nagy said, This fight is the fight for freedom by the Hungarian people
against the Russian intervention, (Imre Nagy last message). Later Imre was captured
and killed by the Soviet troops recapturing the country. Nowadays it is easy to forget
about revolutions like this against tyrants and despicable, corrupted government. To
really find answers people must study the beginning.
Background:
The main causes and the background of the Hungarian Revolution include WWII,
Soviet intervention to make a communist Hungary and Salami tactics from the
communist leader Rakosi. In WWII, Hungary had been backstabbed by Germany and
taken over by German troops. During WWII, Hungary was a central war zone with
multiple battles taking place in its main cities. The war torn country was ruined. To be
rebuilt they needed Democracy and money. They lacked both. The city of Budapest had
tanks overrunning it and destroying buildings. The Soviet Union was on a campaign free
Eastern Europe after defeating the Nazis in Stalingrad, (History.com, Battle of
Stalingrad). After the Soviet Union freed Hungary, communist ideals were spread like
a plague in the small country. After WWII with a freed Hungary the US had a foreign
policy based on containing communism (US History, Containment) and aiding countries
resisting communism through economic and military help. Hungary is behind the

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imaginary line that separated Democracy and Communism: The Iron Curtain. Winston
Churchill coined this term as he viewed the obvious Soviet expansion. The Soviet Union
wanted to have bordering countries protecting it from future attacks. In WWII Russia
had been attacked. The attack had been a failure yet millions of Russians died.This all
led up to Russian control of economic, political and military power in Eastern European
countries. The countries had communist leaders pushed on them like Rakosi was,
(Matyas Rakosi, History Learning Site). Matyas Rakosi was a man who picked up
communist ideals in WWI and wholly embraced them. Rakosi was an obvious choice for
a communist leader for the Hungarian satellite nation of the USSR because he
supported Stalin and communism. Rakosis propaganda was everywhere. There began
to be more and more communist powers in Hungary. The agriculture leader was
communist and since agriculture was such a big industry the country was quickly
populated with communists. The communists took control and banned other political
parties, (Hungary, World Book Online). To be a democrat life was excruciating with jobs,
voting and normal life taken away. The communist government was put in place and
Matyas Rakosi was put into power. Immediate reforms took place that ruined a lot of the
economy. THe agriculture budget was cut and state farms were made creating a drop in
exports and capitalistic markets. The farms were producing very little with the changes.
The state farms grouped the farms together in a commune (American Hungarian
Foundation, Video). Many farmers were cut from the farms and forced to move into the
cities for work. As a country, Hungary was very agricultural based. Communism
destroyed that with Matyass disregard for agriculture and basic trade. The only reason
the country wasnt in a full blown famine was the surrounding countries helping with

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trade. The Soviets took the little food grown and sent it back to Moscow. Many starved.
The country was sucked dry but thats not the worst of it. With Matyass reforms he
made industry a priority. It was obvious this was bad because there was no industry
ready people or factories or materials. The deadlines were soon and shabby factories
were put up. Many of the workless farmers went into factory jobs. People were forced to
work for the machine. Matyas also had Salami tactics which brought him into power and
kept him in power. Salami tactics are ways to cut off a government and takeover, . With
the USSR help Rakosi cutting off other political parties, propaganda, armed forces
intervention like the USSR forces occupying Hungary and putting communist leaders
into power. Rakosi once said in 1949 his Salami tactics were cutting them off like slices
of salami. Rakosi often boasted of his political success for he had crushed other parties
and made a Stalin like rule for himself in Hungary. In the end his Salami tactics made
so he could conquer Hungary but there was a Hero in the midst name Imre Nagy. Imre
Nagy made Hungary a better place. The political and ideological legacy of Imre Nagy
revealed heroic leadership as he stood up to the Soviet Union and put Americas
Truman Doctrine to the test.

Political Hero:
Imre Nagy was a political hero because he made reforms for the country, he
stood up against the Soviet Union, he made reforms for the poor and he built upon the
influence of the Secret Speech with challenging Rakosi after the ripple from the Secret
Speech. Imre Nagy is a hero. A hero is a person who in the face of adversity and danger
overcomes a challenge. Imre overcame the political challenges in Hungary to be a
Hero. First, Nagy was a political hero for his reforms that relieved the people from the

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communist burden. The communism in Hungary was run by Matyas Rakosi. His
changes ruined the economy and the people; killing a minimum of 250,000 in his purges
with the secret police. The economy was ruined and many were driven to suicide. Imre
Nagy came into power and immediately lifted the burdens. Nagys reforms included
freer markets, better living policies, better privacy, more freedoms in jobs and
agriculture work, cleaner living for the poor, better economy and attacks on corruption.
Next, Nagy is a political hero because he stood up against the Soviet Union. The Soviet
Union loved Rakosi for his devotion to Stalins communism. Rakosi modeled after Stalin
in his purges and political ideas. Imre on the other hand was the opposite. Imre Nagy
was, for the people Hungary, a political hero for not doing what the Soviet Union wanted
the communist leaders to do. Imre was not a communist at heart but a helper and a
hero. The Soviet Union wanted strict communism but Imre gave people privacy and
markets which clearly makes him a hero. Finally, Imre made reforms for the poor and
built upon the influence of the Secret Speech. The Secret Speech was a speech given
by Khrushchev denouncing Stalins acts. Imre used this to gain momentum in the fight
for freedom in Hungary. Khrushchevs speech was huge for the revolution. It meant that
the revolution was for the good and peace of the people and Imre bounced of this to
help the peace. (Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Secret Speech)

Ideological Hero:
Imre Nagy was an ideological hero to the people of Hungary because he
had ideas for the people, he fought Rakosi in an idea war, and he helped the people.
Imre Nagy was also an ideological hero. For many people, during the 1950s, Imre was
a symbol of hope. The communist powers in the government were ruining many

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peoples hope for freedom with changes that took businesses and political parties and
controlled them. The Hungarian people hated what Rakosi was doing to the country but
fear controlled the actions of the people so there were not many revolts ( Encyclopdia
Britannica, Hungarian Revolution). Imres ideas lightened the tension on the people and
made a better life for the people. First, Imre Nagy had ideas to help the poor. Imres
reforms started from his ideas. Imres basic motives were to release communisms grip
on the people, make free markets and help the people. Next, Imre fought Rakosi in an
idea battle. Rakosis ideas were ridiculous because he had no fear of being cut off
because he was loved in Moscow by the communist leaders. Rakosis ideas made the
lives of the people run by the government. Imre was very different in that he corrected
Rakosis ideas and put them into the government to cancel out Rakosis influence.
Finally Rakosi helped the people. Imre saw the lack of food, housing and money for the
poor and went to change it. Imre Nagy had a huge impact on how communism affected
the people. Even after Imre was killed and the communist government was back in
place his ideas to help the people stayed in the government and affected the eventual
freedom of the country. Without Imres ideas and love, Hungary would not be the
country it is today because his heroism changed the peoples ideas.

Truman Doctrine Conflict:

Imre Nagy challenged the Truman Doctrine because he showed what the Truman
Doctrine aimed for, how the US didnt fight for this, and how this affected Hungary in the
revolution. To be someone who criticizes the US foreign policy you have to be an
absolute hero or a someone who is misinformed. Imre Nagy boldly showed the flaw in
the Truman doctrine or the USs drive to honor that document. The Truman Doctrine

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was mainly used to help Greece and Turkey (The Truman Doctrine). The Truman
Doctrine was simple but when Hungary became a dangerous country resisting
communism the US failed to help. The People of Hungary couldnt survive with the new
wave of tanks coming in from the East and many didnt survive because of the USs lack
of devotion to its policy. Obviously US troops would have died in the fight for Hungary
but isnt it a countries obligation to help fight for good if it is a World superpower. Imre
Nagy showed these points and criticized the US Truman Doctrine while boldly standing
against the Soviet troops coming to destroy the revolution.Imre Nagy challenged the
Truman Doctrine because he showed what the Truman Doctrine aimed for, how the US
didnt fight for this, and how this affected Hungary in the revolution. First, Imre Nagy
showed what the document was meant to do. The Truman Doctrine was meant to help
countries resisting communism (US Senate, Eightieth Congress, First Session). Many
can say that Hungary was already controlled by the Soviet Union so far that aiding them
would have been a futile effort but Imre stuck to the main purpose of the Truman
Doctrine which stated, The free peoples of the world look to us for support in
maintaining their freedoms. (Truman Doctrine pg. 2) Truman was a generally popular
president but those who heard of his inaction were angry, (Dallek, Robert, Cold War
President) Next, the US didnt help and protect Hungary from the Soviet Union. Finally,
without the US aid Imre Nagy showed and predicted the immediate takeover and crush
of the revolution in Hungary. The country wasnt ready for another takeover with strict
laws and purges. No one was safe without a country intervening. The revolution was
lost even with the people fighting for each street corner. If the US had come Hungary
couldve been free in 1956 and not had to wait until the ruin of the Soviet Union to break

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the last strings.

Importance:
To sum up the revolutions importance in the Cold War, Eastern Europe and even
the world is incredibly hard because of the complexity of the political reactions. The
main changes were in the idea of communism. The revolutionists had 16 changes they
wanted: mainly abolishing communism in Hungary. It is obvious that communism ruined
the economy of Hungary and destroyed many other things. With all these negatives it
was hard to find why communist regimes could exist in a good world. the people
realized the main problems were in the ideas. Imre Nagy was an ideological hero
because he opposed Rakosis communist reforms. Rakosi was a stalwart example of a
communist leader in the Soviet Union so his ideas reflected poorly on the idea of
communism in the world. Imre Nagy left a legacy to all people after him. He showed his
ideas, politics and courage to the world and that made serious impacts in society. Imre
Nagy left a legacy that was incredibly important in history especially in the Cold War, in
the people, and in Hungarys change later on. In the Cold War battles were fought with
words and ideas. Imre planted an idea in his legacy. Imre wanted the freedom in
Hungary that he saw in other countries like the US. A war without an idea is just death.
Imre showed that the Soviet Union had the wrong ideas with control being the number
one priority in Russia. Many would pick the Hungarian revolution to sum up Cold War
not because it actually had fighting but because it had in it Imres legacy that fought for
the right which is what the whole war could be thought about as. Next, Imres legacy
lived in the people. Today, in Memento Park, Budapest you can find Stalins Boots.
Stalins Boots are the remains of a statue of Stalin torn down in the original riot. These

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Boots symbolize the Hungarian peoples intolerance for Stalin, communism, and non
independent governing, (Budapest Locals, Memento Park). To add to that list there are
hundreds of other symbols in Stalins Boots but a symbol that encompasses them all is
Imre Nagys legacy. The people didnt like what Stalin stood for in any way and in
tearing him down we can fantasize that they replaced him with Imre Nagy. Imre was
hope for the people and his amazing legacy lives in their hearts. Finally, Imres legacy
changed Hungary after he was dead. Many peoples legacies are only found in loved
ones or friends but Imres changed the entire country. After the tanks rolled in and Imre
was killed he became a martyr. The people remembered him in his ideas. The
government remembered him and changes were kept to make a freer Hungary. The
Soviet officials were changed through Imres legacy because within a relatively small
time period Hungary was free from communist tyrants. To get away from the control the
people used his ideas. Imre also changed the present Hungary. Today Hungary is a
successful country with the US, Italy and Britain being cardinal trading partners. After
Hungary changing from Imres legacy it continued to remember him. On the 23rd of
October Hungary celebrates its freedom and success from the effect of Imre and the
revolution. Having free elections came from the revolution and is honored today. In the
US the revolution was a bishop and the US used it to fight the Soviets responses in
earlier moves.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Imre Nagy left a legacy of political and ideological bravery and
standing up to the Soviet Union while putting Americas Truman Doctrine to the test.
Imre Nagy was the protector of Hungary but also the idea laser used to eventually free

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Hungary. Imre Nagy would not let the world suffer. As long as my finite mental and
physical strength will allow me, I will fight. I will never be indifferent, weak-hearted or
unconcerned. (Imre Nagy, October 1956)